Pneumococcal disease and use of pneumococcal vaccines in Taiwan

The use of pneumococcal vaccine plays an important role for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). However, introducing the pneumococcal vaccine into the national immunization program (NIP) is complex and costly. The strategy of progressively integrating the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into the NIP in Taiwan provides valuable experience for policy makers. The 7-valent PCV (PCV7) was first available in Taiwan in late 2005. PCV7 was first provided free to children with underlying diseases, those in vulnerable socioeconomic status, and those with inadequate health care resources. The catch-up immunization program with the 13-valent PCV was launched in 2013 and the national pneumococcal immunization program was implemented in 2015. Children aged 2-5 years had the highest incidence of IPD among pediatric population in Taiwan. Although the incidence of IPD caused by PCV7 serotypes has declined, the overall incidence of IPD remained high in the context of PCV7 use in the private sector. A surge of IPD caused by serotype 19A occurred, accounting for 53.6% of IPD cases among children aged ≤ 5 years in 2011-2012. After the implementation of the national pneumococcal immunization program, serogroup 15 has become the leading serogroup for IPD in children. Continued surveillance is necessary to monitor the serotype epidemiology in Taiwan.